Parents Who Smoke, and Their Kids

Recently, I saw a minivan being driven by a mom, with a few 7 year-olds inside. The mom was smoking a cigarette.

Something about this really bothered me. These kids were stuck in a car inhaling second-hand smoke, certainly not at will. I doubt the kids were old enough to understand the dangers of cigarettes, and if they were, would they really be able to stand up to their mom and say, "stop, you're making me inhale second-hand smoke?"

My favorite state law in California is the ban on smoking in restaurants. I remember that this came about largely as a result of waiters and waitresses complaining that they had to inhale second-hand smoke from customers. So, here in California we passed a law to protect waiters and waitresses (and others, certainly) from being subjected to second-hand smoke indoors at restaurants.

Maybe you see where I'm going with this. I'm not a fan of the government stepping in to play parent, but I would really like to see a ban on smoking in cars when there are children younger than a certain age (say, 13) in the vehicle. Kids -- young kids, in particular -- depend on their parents for rides to school, rides to sports, rides to dance lessons, etc. At least when you're older, you could possibly step up to complain or use your own transportation (aka, feet) to get you places. Of course, I'd like to think that most smokers are smart enough not to smoke in small, closed areas with a young child around, but unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case.

I know that even if you ban smoking in cars in the presence of kids, nothing's stopping a parent from smoking right next to their kid at home. Yeah, I know, it's practically impossible to solve this aspect. Still, with a ban on smoking around kids in cars, at least you'd know that in the tiny enclosure of a car, kids aren't being subjected to second-hand smoke.

So, cronies of the political forum, what do you think? Why isn't there a ban on smoking in cars when young children are present? Should there be a ban? Why or why not?

I would like to see child endangerment charges for parents with children in the car when they speed more that 10mph over the speed limit, when they run a stop sign or light, or when they are caught DWI/DUI.

Ah yes, the no-win freedom squasher. If you ban smoking you are infringing on the rights of smokers to smoke. If you don't ban smoking you are infringing on the rights of non-smokers to not smoke.

My feeling is that smokers should be responsible for the by-product they produce, just as any other smokestack in the public enviroment is. Their by-product affects other, the others lack of a by-product isn't affecting the smoker. Personal responsibility seems lacking these days.

Attached Files:

So, cronies of the political forum, what do you think? Why isn't there a ban on smoking in cars when young children are present? Should there be a ban? Why or why not?

Click to expand...

I'd like to see such a ban, but it's just not gonna happen. There's no ban against mothers smoking while they're pregnant, is there? I would imagine that's even more harmful to the baby than second-hand smoke.

Oh, that's lovely. I hope that's some kind of April Fools' joke, but somehow I doubt it.

Seriously, I think there's no way to enforce the smoking w/kids ban -- where exactly would you draw the line? Is smoking in a convertible okay? What about smoking at home w/kids? Would it be okay if the kids were in a different room? And what's safer -- smoking with the kids in the other room, or keeping an eye on them in the same room with you? You can't legislate good parenting.

Oh, that's lovely. I hope that's some kind of April Fools' joke, but somehow I doubt it.

Seriously, I think there's no way to enforce the smoking w/kids ban -- where exactly would you draw the line? Is smoking in a convertible okay? What about smoking at home w/kids? Would it be okay if the kids were in a different room? And what's safer -- smoking with the kids in the other room, or keeping an eye on them in the same room with you? You can't legislate good parenting.

Click to expand...

Apparently it is a true story, and not April's Fool. The linked article at snopes.com tells it all.

As far as legislating good parenting, we do in some ways, (abuse laws, truancy, etc) but you are correct, this would be a tough one. People just don't make good decisions. I know I don't always make the best decisions myself. Some are just more public and blatant than others, and some are even caught on camera

I doubt the kids were old enough to understand the dangers of cigarettes, and if they were, would they really be able to stand up to their mom and say, "stop, you're making me inhale second-hand smoke?"

Click to expand...

When I was a kid (about 6 or 7), my dad smoked. One day, out of concern for my dad, since at that time, second-hand smoke was not generally understood, my brothers and I made a poster for him.

The poster was a 2' x 3' piece of cardboard with over 100 of the "Surgeon General warning" notes cut out of magazines and a note to please stop smoking. He stopped that day and hasn't smoked since (20-some years ago).

When I was a kid (about 6 or 7), my dad smoked. One day, out of concern for my dad, since at that time, second-hand smoke was not generally understood, my brothers and I made a poster for him.

The poster was a 2' x 3' piece of cardboard with over 100 of the "Surgeon General warning" notes cut out of magazines and a note to please stop smoking. He stopped that day and hasn't smoked since (20-some years ago).

Click to expand...

Wish my Mom and Dad had listened

My Dad was 64 when he died of heart disease
My Mom died 9 months later at 58 of lung cancer

When I was a kid (about 6 or 7), my dad smoked. One day, out of concern for my dad, since at that time, second-hand smoke was not generally understood, my brothers and I made a poster for him.

The poster was a 2' x 3' piece of cardboard with over 100 of the "Surgeon General warning" notes cut out of magazines and a note to please stop smoking. He stopped that day and hasn't smoked since (20-some years ago).

Click to expand...

I always used to tell my Mom that if she quit smoking, I'd take her on a trip around the world "when I became rich and famous." She's lived up to her side of the bargain, but I'm not doing quite so well with my part

I always used to tell my Mom that if she quit smoking, I'd take her on a trip around the world "when I became rich and famous." She's lived up to her side of the bargain, but I'm not doing quite so well with my part

Click to expand...

So your current status on MacRumors doesn't count as "famous"?

You could always take her on a "virtual" trip around the world using your Mac and various on-line references. Or you could use Photoshop and place both of you in various famous locations around the world ("Look, here we were in front of the Kremlin. Wasn't that spectacular?").

Ha! That's a good one! Maybe I should start an Amazon donation account to parlay my MR "fame" into riches

Click to expand...

Yeah, you could sign up for endorsement deals - people pay to have the "Wordmunger Certified" stamp on their posts. Of course, they'd have to go through some sort of WCMP (Wordmunger Certified MacRumors Poster) training, which wouldn't be cheap. I mean, you can't be certifying just any schmuck who pays you $100 - you've got credibility to think about.

Smoking could be banned in every cafe, restaurant and most pubs in England in four years under plans unveiled by the government on Tuesday.
The White Paper on Public Health plans to make most enclosed public areas, including offices and factories, smoke-free.

Only private clubs, where members voted to allow smoking, and pubs which do not serve prepared food would be exempt.

The plans mean that up to 90% of bars could be smoke-free within a few years.

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has signalled that similar measures will be adopted in Wales.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.